Reference
Quality glossary: QA, QC and inspection terms
The vocabulary used on capital projects, in plain English. Each definition is the way the term is actually used on a fabrication floor, in an audit or in a turnover package — not a dictionary paraphrase.
- Concession
- Written permission to accept an item that does not meet the original requirement, granted by the design authority or client before the item is used.
- Corrective action requestCAR
- A request issued to a supplier or department asking for root-cause analysis and corrective action, usually after a repeat or systemic non-conformance.
- Corrective and preventive actionCAPA
- Action taken on the cause of a problem rather than the item. The NCR closes the part; the CAPA stops the same failure recurring. What is CAPA?
- Disposition
- The approved decision about a non-conforming item: rework, repair, use-as-is (concession), regrade, or reject/scrap. Repair and use-as-is against a design requirement need design-authority approval. NCR disposition options
- Factory acceptance testFAT
- Testing performed at the manufacturer's works, against an approved procedure, to demonstrate the equipment meets specification before it ships. FAT guide
- Gap analysis
- A structured comparison of current practice against a standard's requirements, producing the action list needed to reach certification readiness. ISO 9001 consulting
- Hold point
- A mandatory stop in the ITP. Work cannot proceed past it until the nominated party has attended and released it in writing. Missing a hold point usually means uncovering or re-testing the work. How to prepare an ITP
- Inspection and test planITP
- The stage-by-stage plan of what will be inspected or tested, against which acceptance criterion, by whom, with what record, and who attends. The backbone document of project QC. What is an ITP?
- Internal audit
- A planned, independent check that the quality system is being followed and is effective, required by ISO 9001 clause 9.2. Internal audit guide
- Manufacturing data reportMDR
- The compiled evidence pack for a manufactured item — material certificates, weld records, NDT reports, test certificates and the signed ITP. Also called a quality dossier or data book. Evidence and record books
- Mechanical completion
- The point at which construction is verified complete against drawings and specification, and the system is safe to be handed to commissioning — documentation-driven, not opinion-driven.
- Non-conformance reportNCR
- The formal record raised when work fails a specified requirement. It states the requirement, the evidence, how the item is contained, and what disposition was approved. What is an NCR?
- Non-destructive testingNDT
- Inspection methods that do not damage the item: radiography (RT), ultrasonics (UT), magnetic particle (MT), dye penetrant (PT) and visual (VT). Welding & NDT inspection
- Objective evidence
- Verifiable data supporting a statement of fact — a measurement, a photo reference, a signed record. An auditor's default question is where yours is.
- Positive material identificationPMI
- Field verification of alloy composition, used to confirm the material installed matches the specified grade — a common source of late, expensive findings.
- Post-weld heat treatmentPWHT
- Controlled heating and cooling after welding to relieve residual stress. Verified through chart recorders and thermocouple records rather than observation alone.
- Project quality management systemPQMS
- The project-specific quality system: quality plan, ITPs, hold points, NCR process, records and turnover documentation for one project rather than the whole company. PQMS services
- Punch list
- The register of outstanding items found at walkdown before handover, categorised by whether they prevent start-up (A) or can be closed afterwards (B).
- Quality assuranceQA
- The planned, preventive activities that make a conforming result likely — quality plans, procedures, qualifications, supplier assessment and audits. QA works on the process, not the product. QA vs QC explained
- Quality controlQC
- The detective activities that verify a specific item meets its requirement — inspection, measurement, testing and witness activity, each producing a record. QA vs QC explained
- Review point
- A documentation checkpoint. No physical attendance is required; a nominated party reviews the record — a certificate, report or calculation — after the activity.
- Site acceptance testSAT
- The equivalent test repeated on site after installation, verifying the equipment still performs once connected to real services and interfaces. FAT and SAT
- Third party inspectionTPI
- Inspection carried out by an independent organisation acting for the purchaser, not the manufacturer — the standard control where the maker would otherwise verify its own work. Third party inspection
- Traceability
- The ability to link a finished item back to its material, heat number, welder, procedure and inspection records. Lost traceability is treated as non-conformance.
- Turnover package
- The handover documentation for a system or area at mechanical completion, proving every ITP line, test and punch item is closed and evidenced. Project QMS services
- Vendor surveillance
- Planned or for-cause visits to a supplier during manufacture to verify progress and conformity, rather than waiting for a final inspection. Vendor surveillance
- Welding procedure specificationWPS
- The qualified instruction telling the welder exactly how a joint is to be welded. Supported by a procedure qualification record (PQR) proving the procedure produces acceptable results. Welding inspection
- Witness point
- A notified point the client or third party may attend. If they do not attend after proper notice, work may continue — unlike a hold point. How to prepare an ITP
Independent QA/QC
Talk to usNeed the people who do this, not just define it?
Quality plans, ITPs, third party inspection and vendor surveillance for capital projects across Canada and the US.